Bottle lifter spindle mechanism



Spt. 14,'1943. G. .1. MEYER 2,329,407 BOTTLE'LIFTER'SPINDLE ME'GHANISM W Filed July 18, 1940 ZZ .zz m Z1 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 14, 1943 C Borna LiF'TEalseINDLns-@LECHANISM .j l y rrGeorge J. Meyer,v Milwaukee, Wis.` f. y ,i Appiicnioncuiy 1s, 1940,fssrfiamb; 346,124 l, y

i v`.]ksrcialu'nrs. (C1.;74;s 89) l l 'Ihe present invention relatesfto bottl'emcleaning machines and moreparticularly -to mechanism for lifting and rotating bottles to cooperate withcleaning apparatus@ In a usual type rof bottleV cleaning machine,

such as that shown in "Patent No.1,429,960fto George J. Meyer, dated September 2,6,11922ybottles are carried in a conveyer and while inverted are subjected to various cleaning operationsdn.- cluding an outsidey brushingeoperationwherein the bottles arer lifted and rotated between rotary brushes by reciprocating lifter spindle mecha.- nlsm, T'his general. type yof machinel is `also shown in Patent No. 1,817,014, dated August 4.,l

193,1, and inqPatent No. 1,830,068, dated Novem:- b'er 3,1931. .l l, .f f v It is an object of' theinvention to provide an improvedlifterspindle mechanism which will insure adequate lubrication'of vthe parts, lwhich requires only infrequent attention toreplenish lubricantvwhich is efhcient in operation-which vwill have e. long service life,whic h is of simple and relatively` light-weight construction,Y and which can be economically manufactured:l

Another object of therinvention is to provide a lifter spindle mechanism in which y the, spindles have arelatively large bearingA areagin-r a limited space and have llrm but detachable-connections yWith` the driving parts. The inventionY further consists in the ,several featuresl hereinafter 'described and claimed; u

In the accompanying drawing, illustratinglcer.- tain embodiments of the invention,` f '.Figfvfl is transverse elevation,v of a bott-1e lifter spindle' mechanism constructed innaccordf'- ance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation taken generally 4along the line 2-2 of Fig'. 12 f Fig.f3"is' a sectional elevation takenqgenerally along the line 8*-13 ofxFig.z2; u

'generallyfalong the line G-f-ALof Fig.' 3; f.

Fig. 5 isa detail sectional viewztaken alongthe line,r 5-'5 ofl Fig. 4'; Fig. 6 is a sectional view` the line Gai offFig; 3; 1 n i Fig. 7 .is-a"v detail'- 'elevation' of 'ashaft bearing memberl f 1 -f Fig. 8 is aA sectionallelevation. cia modified form of spindle` mechanism;

Fig; 19is a sectional elevation taken' generally along the line 9.-'-9 o'f Fig.'8, andi.

Fig. 10 is a detail elevation. veieriotl'xer form `ci shaft bearingmember. v i --x-mfthe drawing; l5 dsignatesthe. main 'Itfme taken Igenerally along .f

to be lifted and rotated between rotary oi a, bottle cleaning lmachine which maybe such ras that shown in the above-identified patents,

and I6 designates the rows of bottlek holdersl of the .bottle conveyer thereof by-the lmovement of which the rowsA ofy inverted bottleszll or other containers are successivelybrought intol position cleaning brushes i8v andinto the zone of Laction of spray ypipes I9.

'nie `means foiifting; and 'rotating the bot-ues comprises anreciprocatory support or cross-head in theform of a` gear-box whichA isslidably guided atv oppositeends on vertical guide bars 2|?, the gear-boxcarrying thereon a row of up'- Vright bottle-engaging'r spindles 22 mounted and driven ,as hereinaftermore fully described. By

y way ofexamplel arovv'cf` four spindles is shown,

, `40 Fig. 4: i is fa. idetail sectional velevation taken I :tions 3,1 of the end members 22 and ,551m a :hushed .intermediate bearing',

The housing member is Y fbent to inverted U-shape and havingout-turned heysecured endsuofthe` y(24.*, A bottom.. plate 28 l bottom ianges 26 'of the housing member and to avlubricant chamber.

,vper'ends on but in'some instances a. larger number of spinvdles may be provided, for example, twenty-eight or-more, y n l Theygearebox r20 comprisescast end or head .members 23,and. 24 to which theopposite ends of -an'elonga'ted housing er casing member; r25

are' rigidlyiseeured, ,asbv brazing or welding.

formed by a metal plate bottom flangesv V 26.

.its edges and is provided jThe gear-boxQZ is reciprocated yonthe guide `bars 2| by any usual means, such. as

that shown 4in the abover mentioned patents. 'I'lieactuatmg means is'here` shown to include Cashaped links` 32 pivotally mounted at their up horizontal pins33 secured to the respective end members `of the gear-box, each link ubeng'connected at its lower end to a rockable lever 3,4. \Oneof the gearebox end members also carries a brushseontrollingrod 35 suchas that shown in'the above-mentioned Patent 1,880,068.

A horizontal. drive shaft extends longitudinallywithin the gear-boxv 20 and is journalled at opposite yends in hushed tubularbearing por- 24, and also member 3,8

rThe ltrimm plate is suit- 'k preferably' including a renew,-

` drive shaft 36 carries thrust collars thrust, engagement with `The bevel pinionsora gears which ts between the parallel side walls of the housing member and abutsy against the `bottorn of the top wall of the housing member. The bearing member 38 is secured to the housing member side walls by horizontal through bolts 39 arranged above and below theV drive shaft, and is secured to the top wall by a screw 48. This bearing member also provides additional bracing for the housing member. In the case of a long shaft, two or more intermediate bearing members may be provided. One end of the drive shaft 36 projects through the end member 23 and carries wheel 4I, and an oil seal 42 for the shaft is provided at the outer end is closed at its outer end byV a plug The of 1 this rend member.'v The-bearing portion 31 of the end member 24;,y

44 which f a suitably driven sprocket i are adapted to bear against the inner ends of f the tubular bearing portions 31 of the gear-box end members and serve tolaxially position the shaft.A 'i 7 Inthe form fthe kinvention shown in Fig. 3, the drive shaftV 36 has pinned thereon a plurality of double bevel pinionsor gears 45 which mesh with respective bevel gears 46 secured kas hereinafter described to the lower "ends of theV spindles 22, the axesof the spindles intersecting at right angles the axis of the shaft '36. Eachbevel gear 46 has on I an upwardly rprojecting hollow shaft@ 41 plugged at opposite end'sand journalled in a bearing sleeve 48. The sleeve is firmly mounted in a bushing 49 rigidly secured, iasby welding,

to the top wall ofthe housing member 25, the

sleeve and bushing extending? aboveand'ibelow the plane of this top wall.- 'The lower end portion of the bearingsleeve rotatably fits in a deep` annular channel 50- formed in the bevel gear 46, the inner cylindrical wall of the chanthe shaft bearing -surnel forming a partof face and the outer cylindricalwall lof the channel forming abearing surface egageable with the outer wall ofthe sleeve, ,thus providing an -extended bearingl` surface for the spindle gear within a limited axial space. Theteeth of the spindle gear surround the lower end portion ofthel bearing sleeve;` The ,tubular eonstr'uction lof the spindle" gear shaft 41` facilitates the production yof soundca'sti'ngs,Y conserves fmaterial, and reduces'weightb Thevlower end" ofthe bear- -ing sleeve-4Bis'c'loserito the axis of the shafft-36 than' the radius 4of the" bevebpinio for' gear." 45. "The lower-end oi thebevelgear'46ihas an axial of an invertedv U-shapedfthrustbearingrmernber `-fily straddlingthe shaft 36.-r` The bearing member -5 Il is Vprovidedwith enlarged aperturedjlower ends or-feet 5,2 whichbearonV thebottornplate 28 of the gear-box andare retained in position `byupstandingfdowels 53? on thefbo'ttornplate.

45 for'eachpair of adjacent spindles are arranged in opposed thrust relation, as by placing 'themj -betweenth'e spindle gearathus balancingout end thrust on the shaft 36; In assembling the" double bevel gears on the shaft they-mayifb'e 'mountedeith'eryend f first. A'I'hefspindle gear shafts -41 are insertedinto'the plied. to `the gear-box,V the Fdowelsf '53 on `the i lplate `are enteredtintothe openings' inithefeet i integrally formed therethe disk-like upper lend s adapted to enter the mouth `of the coupling collar" k.tinuous skirt 62 which of the bearing sleeve .prevents the entrance of water and other for- `gear-box, and after ends with suitable the lifted bottles being lrot of the thrust bearings 5I to laterally confine these bearings. f

The upper end of each bevel gear shaft 41 v58 engaging the walls vof a lateral notch 60 in the spindle end and the bolt 59 engaging the walls of an annular groove 6l formed about the upper end portion of the shaft. The lower end encloses the upper ends 48 and bushing 4i)` and eign matter into the shaft bearing and lubricant chamber ofthe gear-box. The annular groove 6I in the shaft 41 permits the coupling collar to-be turned on the 'shaft to take upany looseness, the bolts 58 and `59 being temporarily loosened to aslightdegree when this'adjustment is effected.v 'Ihe reduced lower end 56 of the spindle is in engagement with the upper end of the shaft 41. -1

The lubricant chamber formedV in the gearboxis filled with a fluid grease the level of which extends above the spindle gears 46, thus adequately lubricating all of the various bearings and gears.I The lubricant is admitted through a. fitting 63 secured to the end member 24 of the ythe rst filling it is only necessary to add grease at infrequent intervals.

A large part of the bearing area of each spindle gear is below the grease level, thus insuring positive lubrication.' The upper endof each bearing sleeve 48 projects ya short distance above the housing top wall -and is adequately lubricated without danger of leakage. The end thrust bearings for the V`spindles are within the gear-'box where they'will be freelylubricated.v

The lifter spindles l v construction andare provided at theirr upper means -for engaging the bottles or other containers. y In' the present instance, each spindle is shownrto include a pointed headed top stem 64 the reduced v`shank of'which is knurled at 65 and which carries thereon an upwardly 'converging resilientrubber sleeve 66 tle and to drivingly engage vthe bottle. In some Ainstances'thefspindlies may "be arranged to drivv inverted coningly engage the'bottoms-,ofthey I tainers, as in the case vof: lwide-mouthed jars orleans. V l `1 V" In operation, the lifter spindles 22 l'arerotated bythe` shaft 36 .through the bevel gearing'connections, and the gear-'box 20v-is raisedv 'periodically on the guidelbars v2| tolift the successive rows of bottlesvv topositions between therotating brushes Il vand in the zone of action of theespray pipes 16, ated by fthe spindles. The brushes rotate in aldirection opposing `the lifting vmovement. of fthe bottles.-4 After-each-lifting operation the gear-box descends to release `the vspindles from the; bottles anditoiallowfithe succeeding row of bottles 'to moveinto position. In some instances.l each row of bottlesmay" be lifted two or more-.times"between-thafbrushes during each cycle.. `As is. well understood in this art, the conveyer may bemovedeitherintermittently or continuously.. In vthe case oi!y an vinterhas an enlarged con-V 22 are preferably of tubular g of the inverted bot-` I'l'from the conveyer' pockets 'i6 mittently moving conveyer, the lifting and brushing mechanisms operate on the bottles while the conveyer is stationary; while in the case of a continuously moving conveyer, the lifting and brushing mechanisms reciprocate horizontally as a unit to follow the bottles.

'I'he gear-box end members 23 and 24 and the bushings 49 are shown to be separate members rigidly attached to the housing member 25, but it will be understood that in some instances these parts may be formed integrally on one casting. f

In the modified form of gear-box shown in Figs. 8 and 9, each double bevel pinion or gear 45 drives the gears 46 of two adjacent lifter spindles 22, the end thrust on the `drive shaft 36 being balanced out or neutralized. This construction permits the lifter spindles 22 to be brought relatively close together, as in a bottle cleaning machine for handling bottles of small size. An intermediate bearing member 38 for the drive shaft 36'k presents an upwardly opening half-bearing 1I, Figs. 9 and 10, engageable with the lower surface of the drive shaft, one side ofthe half-bearing being higher than the other side so as to better resist the side thrust on the drive shaft duringv the rotation-of the shaft, they direction of rotation being indicated What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: 1. In a spindle mechanism for a bottle cleaning machine, a gear-box having a lubricant chamber, a drive shaft rotatably carried by said'gearbox, spindle shafts rotatably carried by said gearbox and extending transversely of said drive for a bottle cleangear-box and extending upwardly therefrom` `transversely ofsaid drive shaft, gearing connections for driving said spindle shafts from said drive shaft, and thrustbearings carried by said bottom wall and having portions interposedbetween said drive shaft and spindle shafts for resisting on said spindle shafts.

3. In a spindle mechanism for a bottle cleanthe lower ends of said downward axial thrust l ing machine, va gear-box having top and botby arrows in Figs. 8 and 9. The half-bearing` may also be described as having its central plane at an angle to the vertical plane of the spindles.

The bearing member 38 ts between the sider walls of the gear-box and is secured thereto by a through bolt 3!!y extending below the drive shaft.

This bearing member also rests on the bottom l plate 28 and is secured'thereto by screws 40. The bearing member is readily mounted in place and avoids interference with the closely spaced spindle gears 46. 'I'he downward end thrust on each spindle gear is resisted by a plate-like thrust bearing member 5I" which rests at opposite ends on ledge membersv 69 secured, as by welding, to tlhe opposite inner side walls of the gear-box, the opposite ends of the thrust member being retained in `position by cone pointed screws 10. The construction and opertom walls, a drive lshaft rotatably carried by said gear-box, spindle shafts rotatably carried by said gear-box and extending upwardly therefrom transversely of said drive shaft, gearing connections for driving said bottom wall and having portions interi posed between said drive shaftA and the lower ation of the device of Figs. 7 and 8 is otherwise the same as that of Figs. 1 to 6.

It will be obvious that the shaft bearing member 3B of Figs. 8 to 10 may be used in the gearbox of Figs. 3 and 4, and that the thrust bearing members 5I of Figs. 3 and 4 may be used in the gear-box of Figs. 8 and 9. In order to permit the use of the shaft bearing `member 38 in a gear-box with closely spaced spindle gears, the upper portion of this away at 68 and has .an opening l6l above the y drive shaft, Figs. 3 and 7,'fthus providing clearance for the gears and thrust bearings.

In each form of the invention, the spindles and other rotating-partsrun easily and with a relatively low power consumption, and wear on the mechanism is minimized. Thev free upper ends of the spindles are maintained in accurately spaced relation without requiring additional guiding means.

bearing member is cut eus ends of said spindle shafts for resisting downward axial thrust on said spindle shafts, said thrust bearingsr being of inverted U-shape and straddling said drive shaft.` f

4. In a spindle-mechanism for a bottle cleaning machine, a gear-box having a top wall and opposite side walls, a drive shaft rotatably carried by said gear-box, spindle shafts rotatably carried by said gear-box and extending upwardly therefrom .transversely of said drive shaft, gearing connections for driving said spindle shafts from said drive shaft, and thrust bearings carried by said side walls and having portions interposed between said drive shaft and the lower ends of said spindle shafts for resisting downward axial thrust on said spindle shafts.

5. In a spindle mechanism for a bottle cleaning machine, a support having a bearing sleeve,

a bevel gear at an end portion of said sleeve and having a spindle yshaft journalled in said sleeve, said gear further having a bearing surface engageable with the outer periphery of said sleeve, a drive shaft extending transversely of said spindle shaft and having a bevel gear meshing with said first-named bevel gear, the radius of said driveshaft gear being greater than the distance from the drive shaft axis to the adjacent end of said sleeve.

GEORGE` J. MEYER.

said gear-boxand interposed between having top and bottom l said spindle shafts from said drive shaft, and thrust bearings carried by 

